‘Crazy' footage of crowd at 9am as US chain opens first store in Aus
At 9am on a Saturday morning, the last thing you probably want to eat is fried chicken.
But a group of eager Aussies have shunned avocado on toast and have been waiting in line for over 2 hours in order to be among the first in the country to taste Wingstop.
The cult-US chain just opened its doors in Sydney, and boy have Aussies turned out in massive numbers to get their gobs around the brand's infamous chicken wings.
Footage filmed in Kings Cross shows a long line of people snaking down Darlinghurst Road and around the corner onto Victoria Street.
'We're so excited to be launching today, the turn out has been incredible,' Locky Paech, Wingstop Australia's corporate operations director, told news.com.au.
'I walked all the way down the massive line chatting to people and they were all so hyped to get the first taste in Australia.
'Doors are officially open now, we're cooking.'
Videos of the wild scenes outside the restaurant have sparked a lot of attention, with many expressing delight at the store's opening while simultaneously being horrified by the size of the queue to get in.
'That crowd is crazy,' one remarked on TikTok.
'Waiting in line for 2 hours was so worth it,' another declared.
The swell of chicken-eaters comes just weeks after Wingstop announced it was opening its first restaurant Down Under, kicking off the American company's expansion plan across Australia and New Zealand with 100 new restaurants.
'There's never been a better time to bring Wingstop to Australia,' Steve Kehl, Country Manager at Wingstop Australia, told news.com.au last month.
'The response so far has been phenomenal, Aussies are already buzzing about what's coming.
'We've tapped into a massive appetite for bold, flavour-first food and an experience that's anything but ordinary.'
News of Wingstop's Aussie launch spread like wildfire across social media, with some even flying in from other states, only to discover it wasn't open yet.
Popular food vlogger Nectro Vlangos, best known for his reviews as @nectoriouspapi on social media, said Aussies 'love US food chains' and would undoubtedly get behind Wingstop Down Under.
'Who doesn't love a good chicken wing? The reason people rave about Wingstop is the different variety of flavours and seasonings available,' he told news.com.au.
'My favourite is the lemon chicken, but there are 9 different flavours. They also have great dipping options too.'
It's not the first time Wingstop has tried to open in ANZ.
The chicken wing experts announced in August 2017 it would be opening its first franchise in Brisbane in 'the first half of 2018' as part of an expansion that would see '110 locations open in Australia and New Zealand over 10 years'.
However, the project – a collaboration with John Bridgeman Limited – didn't come to fruition.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
31 minutes ago
- News.com.au
Penny Wong spruiks PM's gift of the gab ahead of high stakes Trump meet
Foreign Minister Penny Wong has praised Anthony Albanese's gift of the gab ahead of the Prime Minister's first face-to-face with Donald Trump. NewsWire understands the two leaders are set to meet on the sidelines of the G7 in Canada starting later this week but a time has not been confirmed. With a tariff carve out and defence spending straining relations between Canberra and Washington, Mr Albanese has no shortage of uncomfortable talking points for the US President. But Senator Wong said on Wednesday Mr Albanese was 'pretty good at handling meetings'. 'He's had a lot of experience, not just as prime minister but as a senior minister for a very long time,' she told Nine. 'Look, we don't agree with the President Trump's administration on tariffs. 'We've made that clear. We think it's not consistent with our free trade agreement. 'We don't think it's in the interests of American consumers. 'We think it's an act of economic self-harm. We've made that clear publicly, consistently, and we will continue to do so.' Senator Wong refused to 'speculate' if bumping up Australian defence spending — which the US has demanded be hiked to 3.5 per cent of GDP — would be on the table. 'We'll always do what is required to keep Australians safe,' she said. 'We've invested more money in defence over the next few years, and also forward over the (next) ten.' Senator Wong added that the Albanese government was 'very aware of the circumstances Australia faces' and that building up ties with Pacific neighbours was key to the strategy. 'A great part of my job is to work with other countries because those relationships contribute to stability and security in our region, which is where stability, security and ultimately our prosperity come from,' she said.
ABC News
an hour ago
- ABC News
Queensland government dumps zero-emissions vehicle goal set by Labor, introduces new target
Queensland's LNP government is dumping a Labor-era mandate that required certain vehicles driven by public servants to transition to zero emission alternatives. Public Works Minister Sam O'Connor will today unveil a new emissions reduction strategy for QFleet, which manages more than 11,000 vehicles for the government. Under the former Labor administration, a target was introduced to transition all "eligible" passenger vehicles in the fleet to zero-emission vehicles (ZEV) by 2026. This would have impacted around 3,600 vehicles in the fleet. In the new strategy, the ZEV push will be scrapped and a new target will be introduced, aimed at lowering the entirety of QFleet's tailpipe emissions by 10 per cent by 2030. The plan will allow for other vehicles beyond electric vehicles to be used, such as hybrids and plug-in hybrids. Mr O'Connor said every government agency would be held accountable to reduce their emissions, rather than buying a particular type of car. "We've laid out a genuine pathway to reduce tailpipe emissions and better support the hardworking public servants who rely on QFleet to get them to where they need to be." The new strategy would see the fleet's tailpipe emissions lowered from 33.19 kilotonnes as of June 2024 to 29.86 kilotonnes by 2030. Over the same period, the government wants to grow the fleet of vehicles by about 9 per cent. The strategy notes the plan was put together in response to "significant" feedback from government agencies, particularly public servants in regional areas. "The [emissions reduction] strategy will mean for the first time the progress of total fleet emissions reduction is being monitored rather than just the number of EVs introduced," it said. "This expansion of scope will provide the government with a more accurate account of its progress towards net zero emission targets." The Queensland government has a target for the state to reach net zero emissions by 2050. The previous strategy rolled out by the former Labor government, which included the ZEV mandate, projected the fleet's emissions would drop to 26.7 kilotonnes by 2025-26. It also argued a transition to electric vehicles would result in "significant savings" for taxpayers through running costs, such as fuel. Another aim of the plan was to increase the availability of second-hand electric vehicles in the used car market. The ZEV mandate meant that as a vehicle lease expired, a zero-emission vehicle had to be taken up as long as there was a ZEV alternative and sufficient charging infrastructure was available. The government's new QFleet strategy points out the fleet already has more than 2,000 active EVs. "Thoughtful vehicle selection" and "responsible driving behaviour" are among the measures it lists in its bid to cut vehicle emissions.
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
Famous US burger chain opens pop-up in Sydney for one day only
A popular American fast-food chain will launch a pop-up store in Sydney today, opening for a one-day-only event. Fans of In-N-Out Burger will have the opportunity to snag some of the chain's most popular menu items at the Coogee Bay Hotel from 9am to 3pm or until sold out on June 11. A spokesperson for Coogee Bay Hotel has told that crowds were already lining up before the opening time. 'The international In'N'Out team have flown out to run the pop-up,' they explained. So Aussies who have tried the American burgers can rest assured they'll be the same ones they know and love. The pop-up will be serving up In-N-Out's famous Double-Double burgers, featuring two beef patties, two slices of American cheese, lettuce, tomato, onions, and the brand's signature sauce. Also available will be the Animal Style burger from the chain's 'hidden' menu, which features mustard-cooked beef patties, extra melted cheese, grilled onions, pickles, and an extra dollop of the special sauce. For those wishing to forgo the carbs, the Protein Style burger is also available, replacing the bun with lettuce wraps. 'For those who have not yet experienced In-N-Out Burger, be sure to come and check us out at this special promotional event,' the chain said in an Instagram post on the Coogee Bay Hotel's page. Aussies were thrilled at the news, taking to social media to share their excitement. 'This is so exciting!' said one. 'Yes, please,' another wrote. However, others anticipated that the burgers would sell out before many people had the chance to get their hands on one. 'Let us know if (when) it sells out at 10:30am so we don't waste a drive,' said one. Someone else said so many people will have 'FOMO', so will line up for hours and hours, only to be disappointed. Although there's no permanent outlet in Australia, previous In-N-Out pop-ups have proved popular and sparked calls for the chain to be introduced in the country. In-N-Out is a family-owned and operated burger restaurant, established in California in 1948. It has become renowned for not using any frozen products, meaning that all of its menu items are prepared fresh. The main menu consists of burgers, chips, and milkshakes.
